bevacizumab (Avastin)

Advice

following a full submission

bevacizumab (Avastin®) is not recommended for use within NHS Scotland.

Indication under review: bevacizumab in combination with capecitabine is indicated for first-line treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer in whom treatment with other chemotherapy options including taxanes or anthracyclines is not considered appropriate.

In a double-blind, multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled phase III study in patients with locally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer, treatment with bevacizumab plus capecitabine was associated with an extended median progression-free survival of 2.9 months compared with capecitabine monotherapy. However, there was no overall significant improvement in survival.

The submitting company did not present a sufficiently robust economic analysis and, in addition, their justification of the treatment’s cost in relation to its health benefits was not sufficient to gain acceptance by the SMC.

Drug Details

Drug Name:

bevacizumab (Avastin)

SMC Drug ID:

778/12

Manufacturer:

Roche

Indication:

bevacizumab in combination with capecitabine is indicated for first-line treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer in whom treatment with other chemotherapy options including taxanes or anthracyclines is not considered appropriate.